Floor-finishing machine



March 25, 1930` H. M. woLGAMooD 1,752,133

FLOOR FINISHING MACHINE I M j., g` j ff f/f. a 755 N) l f/f March 25,1930. H. M. woLGAMooD FLOOR FINISHING MACHINE Filed Oct. l, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HUGHM. WOLGAMOOD, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-p-HALF TO J'. E.PICKARD, F DENVER, COLORADO FLOOR-FINISHING MACHINE Application filedOctober 1, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for sanding andwaxing floors and has reference more particularly to a sanding machineof a medium sized construction which-shall be particularly well adaptedfor finishing the edges of floors after the latter have been sanded by alarger machine.

rlhe use ot sanding machines for iinishing floors is now very common andwhere large floors are to be finished it is customary to employ a largemachine that will do the work quickly. Such large machines, however, arenot well adapted for use about the edges of the iioor and therefore whenthe floor has been sanded by such a machine an unfinished strip isusually lett around the tour sides of the floor next to the basemolding. It is the object of this invention, as above intimated, toproduce a compact machine that shall be 2o so constructed that it willbe adapted to iinish the edges ot the Hoor and by means of ywhich thefloors can be sanded right up to the base board or base molding.

It is also an object ot this invention to produce a machine of this typewhich shall be so constructed that the sand paper belt can be quicklyand easily removed and replaced when necessary and which shall beprovided with means for adjusting the rollers in such a way that thebelt will be held taut, even it it has not been perfectly made.

It is a still further object of this invention to produce a machine thatshall be so constructed that by simply applying abelt ot cloth such as acarpet belt to the machine, the latter can be employed for waxing thefloors,

as well as for sanding them.`

The above and other objects that will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds e0' are attained by means ot a construction and Varrangement ofparts that will be hereinafter described indetail and reference forthisvpurpose will now be lhad to the `accompanying drawings in which thepreferred embodiment thereof has been illustrated and in which:

"'Fig. 1 is a side elevation ot the machine looking in theV direction ofarrow 1 in Fig. Brand' shows the machine in operative condition;

Yp0 ,-wFig. 2-is an elevation'of the machine 1ook- Serial No. 309,589.

ing in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 3, parts being broken away tobetter disclose the construction;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation looking in the direction of arrow 3 in Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4, Fig. 1; and shows a lockingdevice or latch;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5, Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6, Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7*7, Fig. 6.

The machine comprises a substantially rectangular casing which is formedfrom sheet metal and which has sides 1 and 2, a back wall 3 and a top orcover 4. The sides 1,2 and back wall 3 are connected together by meansof two corner angles 5 and the sides 1 and 2 have their front endsconnected by means of an angle iron 6. Angles 7 extend along the upperinner edges of sides l and 2 and the upper inwardly extending flanges ofangles 6 and 7 serve as a support for the top or cover` 4, which is heldin place on one side by means of hinges 8. The other side ot' cover 4 isprovided with an opening 9 through which a rotatable latching pin 1()extends. The upper end of this pin is provided with a crank arm 11 andthe lower end is provided with a hook 12, that is adapted to extendthrough an opening 13 in the flange of angle 7. A pin 14 extends throughthe latching pin 10 below the plate 15 and the latter is secured to thetop 4 by means of screws. The opening 13 is elongated and when thelatching pin is in one position the hook 12 can be readily removed andinserted, but when the pin is roted ninety degrees, it will serve as alatch and will positively hold the cover member 4 in the position shownin the drawings. Side members l and 2 have a rectangular portion cutaway from the lower front corners and the upper side of this cut-out hasbeen indicated by numeral 16 and the vertical side by numeral 17. Thelower rearmost ends of sides 1 and 2 are upwardly inclined as indicatedby lines 18. Extending trans-V versely between sides 1 and 2 is an anglebar 19 whose opposite ends project into slots 20 formed between theforward anges of angles 2 ifeaise whose rollers are preferably formedfrom composition material. have their inner ends pivoted to the verticalange of anglen19 by means of bolts 24 and extend outwardly throughopenings in the end wall 3. These levers have a portion which liesparallel with the end wall and this is provided with an opening for thereception of the pivot bolt 26. The outer ends of the levers which havebeendesignatedl by numeral 27 project outwardly at right angles from theend wall andare perforated for the reception of a bolt 28 which. extendsthrough an openingl in the lower end of the lever 29. rlhe upper end ofthis lever is pivotally attached to acrank arm 30 which is mountedon'the vend of acrod 31 that extends through an opening in the handle. Aratchet wheel 32 is'secured tothe rod 31 at the front of the handle andthe teeth of this ratchet wheel are adapted to be engaged by the pawl 33on the end of a detent lever which is pivoted 1; at 34.' This lever hasa handle portion 35 by means of which it can be moved into and out of`operative position.V The front end of rod 31 is'bent at right angles asindicated at 36 and this portion formsl a handle by means of which rod31 may be rotated. lt'is evident that when rod 31 is rotated, theconnecting rod 29willv be moved upwardly and downwardly and that this,in turn, will rotate the levers V23 about their pivots 2B so fr as tomove the angle' iron 19 with its attached casters upwardly anddownwardly and to thereby adjust the position ofthe machine in avertical direction. Short pieces of angle iron 37 extend downwardlyonthe two opposite vinner surfaces and a plate 38 is secured to theseangle irons so as to form' a .partition that extends from the top 4towith- .in a short distance of the lower edge` of sides 1 and 2. A plate39 extends from the top of the yhousing downwardly and forwardlyjandterminates at 40, a 'short distance below the lower yedge of Yplate 33.yTop, member 4 is provided Awith an opening" 41 to' which a conduit 42 isconnected.` This conduite);- tends to the intake opening of Vacentrifugal fante which reference will hereinafter be Y made. 1 YSecured to thehousingvthus described is" a portioncomprising twosubstantially triangular side. members 43whos'e wide ends are so 'formedthatv they will lit into ythe cut ornopening which is bounded bvsideslYand :17'l in the manner Vshown in Figs. 1 and 2. @ne of these members43 isn secured to side 2 by means of a hingef44`and the other 'member 43secured to side 1 by a similar hinge from Vwhich the hingepin has l.been

removedand replaced by an elongated rod 45, Awhose uppe`r 'end V1sprovided witha handle portion.` `lily removing'the" rod 45, the

hinge canbe'dseonneeted in a manner quite Z-shaped levers 23 evident andthis is done whenever a new sand paper belt or carpet belt is to be putin place as will hereinafter appear. Sides 43 are connected by means ofa base plate 46, whose opposite edges are bent upwardly in the mannerindicated by reference numeral 47. Secured to the inner surface of eachplate 43, is an angle 48 and these two angles are connected by means ofa plate 49 whichserves to connect the side members 43 and also forms atransverse partition between them. A roller 50 which may be of wood orother suitable material, is provided with a shaft 51 which extendsthrough and is journalled in n suitable bearings in the side members 43.The outer surface 0f this roller ispreferably covered with a rubber',tube 52, which serves togive greater traction between its surface andthe sand paper belt53,`which is employed in connection with it. Anotherroller 54 has its endsppivoted in suitable bearings in the Thesebearings movable side members r55. have rearwardly extending tongues 56,that slide in slots 57 in the side members 43. A

action of a coil spring 65. By rotating theV pinion 61 the correspondingend of the roller 54 can be moved forwardly or rearwardly so as toincrease or decrease the distanceV between lthe axes ofV rollers 50 and54. The belts 6G which pass through openings inthe upwardly turnedportions 47 of plate 46 and into the racks 53 extend through `guideslots v67 and serveto 'clamp theparts in adjusted vposition so as tohold them vagainst accidental movement. .When the sides 43 androllers5() and 54 are moved to the" dotted line position in 5, the sandingbeltcan be readily applied in place after which the parts lare moved back tofull line position and the rod 45 inserted in the hinge so as to holdthem positively in this position; The tension of the belt adjusted bymeans ofthe rack and pinion device 'already described. Projectingupwardly from theftop 4 are four bolts 63-by means of which the vmotorl)is `secured to the member4. The V-motorshaft .Y 70 is provided with asprocket wheel 71 that is connecte'dto asimilar sprocketwheel 72 ontheend of shaft 51 `by means of aA sprocket chain 73. Centrifugal fan' 74kis se-fV cured to the top of the motor andV has itsfimpeller connectedwith the motor shaft by means lofa belt soythat whenever the motorrotates', the'fanv will also rotate; The'intake port of this fan isconnected by means of con- 6) which will give the underside of thesanding belt a motion rearwardly in the direction indicated by the arrowin Fig. 6. The friction between the abrading surface of the belt and thefloor tends to pull the machine for-- wardly so that it becomesself-propelled. The suction produced by the action of the fan causes alarge stream of air to ow inwardly through the opening between the edgesof plates 38 and 40 and this air stream carries with it the particlesabraded from the floor surface, which, after passing through the fan,are captured in the dust bag 76' in the manner now common with vacuumdevices of this type. The handle, by means of which the machine isguided, has been designated by reference numeral 77 and this is bracedto the sides of member 4 by means of braces 78. The end of the handlemay be provided with a cross bar 79, which is grasped by the hands ofthe operator while operating the machine.

When the sprocket chain 73 is to be applied or removed the latchcomprising latching pin 10, is moved to inoperative position, afterwhich the top 4 is tilted about hinges 8, thereby shortening thedistance between shafts 51 and 70, so that the sprocket chain may bequickly removed or replaced.

If it is desired to employ the machine for waxing a floor, this can bereadily accomplished by applying to the outside of the abrading belt abelt formed from cloth, such, for example, as old carpets and this clothbelt will then be operated in contact with the floor surface and if waxis to be applied to the outer surface of this belt the machine willfunction to wax and polish the floor.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced amachine of a very simple and substantial construction that is especiallywell adapted 'for use in sandingthe edges of floors where it isnecessary to come close to the base boards or base moldings and whichcan also be readily transformed by the simple application of a clothbelt so as to function as a waxing and polishing machine.

Having described the invention what is claimedas new is:

l. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, a casinghaving two sides, a back and a top, said sides being longer than the topand each formed of two separate parts, one part of each being taperedand projecting forwardly beyond the front edge of the top, means forconnecting the two tapered side portions to form a unitary assembly,said means comprising a plate extending from one side to the other,means for hingedly connecting the part formed by the two tapered sideportions Ato the rear portion of the casing, a roller rotatably mountedbetween the tapering sides near the rear end thereof, a second andsmaller roller r0- tatably connected to the pointed ends of the taperedside portions, means for rotating one of said rollers, an abrasive beltenclosing the rollers, and means for independently adjusting theposition of the ends of the smaller roller with respect to the largerroller.

f2. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, acasing having two sides, a back and a top, said sides being longer thanthe top and each formed of two separate parts, one art of each beingtapered and projecting orwardly beyond the front edge of the top, meansfor connecting the tapered portions of the sides, said means comprisinga plate extending from one side to the other, means for hingedlyconnecting the part formed by the two tapered side portions to thecasing, a roller rotatably mounted between the tapering sides, a secondand smaller roller rotatably connected to the pointed ends of thetapered side portions and means for independently adjusting the positionof the ends of the smaller roller with respect to the larger roller,said means comprising a rack secured to each end of the roller, a pinionrotatably mounted in each of the side members and operatively related tothe rack and a pawl adapted to engage the teeth of the pinion to holdthe same against accidental rotation in one direction.

3. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, a casinghaving two spaced substantially parallel sides, a back and a top, saidsides being each formed of two separate parts, one part of each beingtapered and projecting forwardly beyond the front edge of the top, meansfor holding the tapered portions of the sides in spaced relation, abottom plate extending between and connecting the lowermost edges of thetapered side portions, a roller located betweenthe tapered side portionsand journaled in bearings in the latter, a bearing slidably connected tothe front end of each of the tapered side portions, a roller having itsends journaled in said bearings, means for independently adjusting theposition of each 0f said bearings, means for latching said bearings inadjusted position, means comprising a hinge for connecting the partcarrying the rollers to the casing, a motor secured to the top, meansfor operatively connecting the motor with one of the rollers, a suctionfan driven by the motor and means for connecting the intake port of thefan with the interior of the casing at a point to the rear of theroller.

4. A machine of the type described comprising, in combination, a casingportion diviole'dliy atrfansverse paiitiitioninto twofcomwpaiitmeutgfasuction ifan supported on sa-icl y casing, a conduit extending frointheintake po'rtlof tlie'an to yone of saidfcompartments, :5m assembly'carrying 1 two spcecl rollers, f a

beltenclosing the rollers,k means for rotating vone of said` rollers,fand means comprising a hinge for securing the, assembly to the casing If'so that it :may swing away for the purpose :10 Of removing andreplacing the belt.

5. .A lmachine of ythe class described com- Y' prising, incombination, acasing, an assembly erryingtwo 'spaced rollers,-a belt enclosing theVrollers;Ineens including a hinge for 1 1 f :securing the lassembly tothe casing so that it `may swingfaway from the casing for the' 'purposeof removing and replacingthe loelt,

lneansfor lftching :the assembly Vin operative V'relation with respectYto thelcasing, la suction s 20 fan yconneclterl With the interior ofthe casing and a motor carried by the casing and connected with *thevsuction fan and with one of the rollers for simultaneously operating the.rollerand the fain.V l lnite'stimony whereof I affix my signature. HUGHM. VOLGAMOOD.

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